Fifteen Years Ago Today...

Because they never figured out how to get it distributed across the country in a timely, cost-effective manner.
Great product that you just couldn't get in some places.

 

I thought this thread would be about Atlee Hammaker taking the loss in the Padres' 12-1 loss to the Cardinals. (Really did happen!)

 

who wrote the strother column?

a former co-worker has a national newspaper box. he told the owner of a liquor store he would remove it, and the store's manager said no problem. i trust the guy still has the box.

after leaving my apartment on the way to class in college, my first stop was at said liquor store to buy the national. reading that was an important part of my journalism education.

there's a thread somewhere here (i think it still exists) listing all the talent that worked at the national. the thread also had some other great info on the national, too.

 

It's in a box with other memorabiliaand I cant get at it right now, but I want to say it was Scott Ostler

 

Great product, bad business model. One of the best hires I ever made was of a former editor at the National. After that experience, he just wanted to edit stories and did a damn good job of it.

 

I never read The National during its 18-month run — only because I was still in elementary school and didn't really care much about sports other than watching games or TV, or going to the stadium, with my Dad, and because I had even less appreciation for the written word — but I wish I had.

For those who would like to reflect a bit, here's a story from the April 1990 issue of Inc. Magazine about The National's launch. Interesting what Brian Toolan, then the AME of the Philly Daily News, had to say; kind of prophetic, too.

 

well, a little shot of ameretto in my morning coffee never hurt.

 

I believe Scott Ostler wrote the Shelby column. :'( (I could be wrong, but I don't think I am).

 

Just like to point out 21 made the 21st post here.

 

The National came to Toronto in Sept. 1990 even though it didn't have any Canadian content that I could recall. I was working in the city at the time and picked it up every morning at a newsstand in Union Station after I got off the train. Sometimes it was a day old but that didn't matter, I'd still pour over it on my lunch hour and finish it on the way home.

I was in Vegas for Douglas-Holyfield the next month and thought it was so cool I could buy one out of a box on a corner. I still have a couple of them in a box here somewhere.